Filter



3 Sheets-Sheet 1. -J. SUTTON.

FILTER (No Model.)

No. 470,355. Patented Mar. 8,1892.

50., mom-mum. wuumumn a c Patented Mar; 8, 1892.

(No Model.)

(No Modl.) a Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. SUTTON. FILTER.

No. 470,355. Patented Mar. 8, 1892f.

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UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

JOHN SUTTON, OF ISLIP, NElV YORK.

FILTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,855, dated March 8, 1892.

Application filed March 10, 1891. $erial No. 384,432. (No model.)

the filtering material at pleasure and for packing and operating the filter in a convenient and expeditious manner.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view of the apparatus in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation. Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation, partly in section, showing the filter turned in position for packing the upper compartment. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section through line 00 a: of Fig. 1; and Figs. 5 and 6 are views in detail representing, respectively, the spindle in longitudinal section and end elevation.

The particular class of filter which I have selected for the purpose of illustrating my invention is that in which the filtering-vessel is supported by means of trunnions in a suitable frame, so as to be swung from a horizontal position to a position with its removable or opening end upward-such, for example, as shown in Letters Patent No. 406,603, granted to me July 9, 1889. I do not, however, limit myself to filters of thatclass only, as it will be obvious that many, if not all, of the tea tures of my present invention are applicable to filtering-vessels of other well-known forms and not adapted to be swung into different positions. I have also shown the supportingframe as mounted on a truck for convenience in transporting the apparatus.

A represents the truck, to the opposite sides of which the standards a are fixed, the latter i being provided at their upper portions with and B, separated from each other by animmovable partition Z), impervious to liquid. The partition 1) forms the common floor of the two compartments and has flanges 17', extending in opposite directions from its periphery, within which the adjacent ends of the casings which form the walls of the compartments B and B are received and to which they are secured liquid-tight. The opposite ends of the casings of the com partmentsB and B are provided with reinforcing-rims b fixed snugly thereto and adapted to receive the covers 0 and C, so as to form aliquid-tight joint. The covers 0 and O are hinged to the edges of the ends, sufficient play being provided for at their hinged connections to admit of the movement of the cover bodily toward its seat, and suitable screws 0 are adapted to engage the cover and threaded seats or lugs in the rim for drawing the cover into snug contact with its seat. a

The general structure of the filtering-vessel and its covers as thus far described is quite similar to that shown and described in my patent above referred to, and, as mentioned therein, the vessel might be cast with its floor and walls integral, the form shown being the one preferred in practice. The rim of the common partition or floor b has the trunnions b fixed thereto or formed integral therewith upon diametrically-opposite sides, and in proximity to the trunnion upon the inlet side is provided with conduits b and 19 formed integral with the rim and leading in opposite directions from the common inletchannel I) in the trunnion and communicating the one with the compartment upon one side of the floor b and the other with the compartment upon the opposite side of the floor b.

The common inlet-channel is provided with a stop-cock b for the purpose of shutting off the liquid to be filtered from both of the comwater to the compartments for flushing or other purposes. The connections 19 and I) are provided with suitable stop-cocks I2 and I), and they are preferably so arranged with respect to the cocks b and b that the latter (which may be ordinary three-way cocks) may be utilized to simultaneously shut off communication between the channels 11 and b and the compartments B and B and open communication between the connections Z9 1) and said compartments.

The trunnion 1) upon the outlet side is provided with a channel 19 for the discharge of the filtered liquid, which channel communicates at points between the filtering-vessel and its bearings with the chambers for the filtered liquid within the compartmentsB and B by means of branch pipes Z2 b each provided with its stop-cock b 12 to shut off the flow from either one of the compartments independently of the other, asmay be desired.

Outlet-cocks b and Z1 communicate with the interiors of the stop-cocks b b to send the liquid from either compartment to waste. The branch pipes b and b are also each provided with a test-cup D and D, preferably of glass, to which are attached vents, the flow of the gases therethrough being controlled by suitable cocks cl (1.

As the-structures and arrangements of the filtering devices within the two compartments B and B and the means for manipulating them are substantially duplicates of each other, the description of one will be sufficient. The floor plate or frame is of a skeleton formation and comprises a series of ribs e, radiating from acentral ring or hub E, and is provided with feet 2', located at intervals and here shown as projecting" downwardly from' the ring or hub E to permit the free flow of the-liquid over the partition-floor b beneath and upwardly between the ribs of the plate. It is intended that this floor-plate shall have a diameter substantially equal to that of the compartment in which it is placed and that it shall rest at the inner end of the compartment upon the partition I) when in normalposition and at the same time have a free sliding movement upwardly or downwardly away from the fioor h under the impulse of anoperating-spindle, as will be hereinafter more particularly referred to. A hollow spindle F extends from the partition b upwardly to a position to enter a socket c therefor in the cover 0 when the latter is in closed adjustment, and the lower end of said spindle is provided with feet f, located at intervals around the margin of its lower end to admit of the flow of the liquid from the space in proximity to the partition 1) into the interior of the spindle. The said spindle is further provided at its lower end with a right-hand screw-thread f, adapted to engage a corresponding thread within the hub or ring E of thefioor-plate. The floor b is preferably provided with'a shallow recess 1) at the point where the feet of the spindle rests thereon.

About midway of its length, within the compartment B, the spindle F is provided with an annular groove f 2 for the reception of one or more thumb-screws for adjusting a double floor-plate, as will hereinafter appear. The said spindle is reduced in size near its upper end and-provided with a shoulder f upon which a screw-threaded sleeve or collar f is adapted to seat. The screw-threaded collar f 4 is made removable from the spindle F, so that the several plates, which will be hereinafter referred to, may be fitted to slide in close contact with the body of the spindle, instead of leaving the space which would be required were they to slide over the exterior face of i the screw-thread upon the collar f. The collar f is held in position upon the spindle and prevented from rotating relative thereto by means of a key f which extends transversely through the spindle and is engaged with a recess f in the upper edge of the collar. The interior of the hollow spindle'F communicates with the space immediately beneath the cover 0 by means of openings f extending laterally therethrough. The upper end of the said spindle is provided with a squared socket f into which the shank g of an operating-lever G (here shown as a hand-wheel) is adapted to fit, the latter extending through a suitable stuffing-box g, fixed to the cover and closing liquid tight the opening 0 in the cover, through which the shank g extends. A setscrew 9 extending through the side of the cap in which the shank g is supported into position to engage the said shank, serves to lock the operating-lever in its position with its end in the squared socket f A top plate or frame, quite similar to the bottom plate or frame hereinbefore referred to and comprising a series of ribsh, radiating from a central ring or hub H, is provided with a screw-thread Within its hub, adapted to re ister with the screw-thread upon the collar f seated upon the spindle, the thread upon the collar f being a left-hand thread, or the opposite of that upon the lower or inner end of the spindle.

Intermediate between the top and bottom plates or frames referred to there is located what I am pleased to term a double floorframe,eomprising ribs or arms 1', recessed to open communication between them and radiating from a central ring or huh I, the latter provided with a bore adapted to embrace, with an easy sliding fit, the spindle F. Thumbscrews 'i', one or more in number, are seated in threaded perforations in the ring or huh I, and are adapted to project within the same into the annular groove f in the spindle, and thereby prevent the double floor-frame from moving lengthwise ot' the spindle. The

thumb-screws i are provided with shoulders 2' which abut against the hub or ring I before the end of the screw engages the bottom of the groove f and therefore leave the spindle free to turn independently of the double floor-frame.

Perforated plates K K are seated upon the opposite faces of the double floor-frame, and corresponding perforated plates K K are seated upon the faces of the floor and top frames, the spaces between the plates upon the opposite sides of the double floor-frame and the top and bottom frames, respectively, forming chambers for the reception of filtering material L. There are also interposed between the perforated plates K K K K and the filtering material additional perforated plates 7t it, &c., the perforations in the latter being smaller than those in the former, as is usual, and such otherperforated or porous membrane may be interposed, as is common in the art for filtering purposes. The several perforated plates are provided with central openings adapted to receive the spindle F with a close sliding fit.

In assembling the parts the floor frame or plate is first placed in position upon the partition Z). The spindle F is then screwed into its hub E. The perforated plates 1& K are slid down over the spindle into engagement with the fioor-frame and the first stratum of filtering material put in place. The perforated plates K are then slid down over the spindle into engagement with the filtering mass. over the spindle and secured in position by the thumb-screws i, then the perforated plates K k, then the second stratum of filtering material, then the perforated plates 76 K then the screw-threaded collar f isadjusted upon the spindle and the top frame screwed I thereon into'engagementwith the perforated plate K or the collarf might be first screwed into the hub H of the top frame and the collar and top frame then be simultaneously adjusted upon the spindle. now closed and secured and the operatinglever adjusted, the spindle F may be rotated, and thereby simultaneously, through the right and left hand screw-threads thereon, draw the top and bottom frames toward the double floor-frame, compressing the filtering material in the two strata, and so retarding the flow of the liquid through the filtering material. A reverse movement of the spindle-operating lever will simultaneously expand the strata of filtering material, and thereby increase the flow.

In Fig. 3 the strata expanded and the other shows them compressed.

In assembling the several frames and plates suitable Washer-rings may beinserted between them and the double floor-frame may be further secured in place by one or more set-screws i engaged with its periphery and the casing. The top and bottom plates are conveniently prevented from rotating by means of forked lugs e and h, extending, respectively, from the partition I) and cover 0, straddling the ribs e and h. The space between the perforated plates K K upon the opposite faces of the double floor-frame forms- The double floor-frame is then slid.

The cover 0 being.

operating and for admitting air to within when blowing off or draining the compartment from the cock m below. The cap 9 upon the outside of the cover 0 forms an airchamber, which communicates with the space beneath the cover by one or more channels g and a vent-cock g communicates with the interior of the cap g through the shank g of the spindle-operating lever.

To lift the covers for gaining access to the interiors of the compartments B B, I provide a lever N, preferablybifurcated at one end, the branches n being adapted to enter sockets or, formed in raised portions or a raised portion of the cover and removably secured therein by suitable keys 41. I also provide a catch '17? for engaging the operating-arm of the lever and holding it in position to lock the cover open, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3.

The stand-pipes O and P, through which the liquid to be filtered is conducted to and led from the channels in the trunnions, are bolted and jam-nutted to the ends of the trnnnions by means of boltso and p, which pass through the pipes and screw into the rim of the fixed partition I). The joints between the trunnions'and the stand-pipes are so packed as to admit of the rotation of the filtering-vessel relatively to the stand-pipes without causing a leakage. Additional supports for the standpipes are provided by brackets o and p, fixed to the standards a and engaged with the pipes. After the filtering-strata have been adjusted, either in the presence of water admitted into the compartments through the cocks I) and 19 or in the absence of such water-supply, and the water-flush has been passed through the strata, as is common in starting, the liquid to be filtered may be admitted from the standpipe 0 through the channel 1) into either one or both of the compartments B B through the channels I) 19 into the space in V proximity to the partition I). From there it one compartment B represents percolates through the stratum of filtering material nearest the partition I), and also extends upwardly through the hollow spindle into the space beneath the cover, and thence percolates through the outer stratum of filtering material. In both instances the fil-. tered liquid escapes from the strata of filtering material into the chamber formed by the double floor-frame, and is led thence into the branches of the outlet-channel within the opposite trunnion and thence into the discharge stand-pipe P.

It is obvious that the liquid to be filtered might be conducted by a continuation of the channels b and b along the periphery of the vessel from each cock b b to the space beneath the covers instead of through the hollow spindle, and that insuch event the spindle might be made without a passage through it. The form shown is, however, considered the more desirable, as it utilizes the hollow form of spindle in delivering the liquid centrally and avoids the necessity of extending the thickened portion of the rim of the partition b.

By the above construction and arrangement of parts two inletting-surfaces of the diameter of the filtering-vessel are provided in each compartment for passing the liquid to the filtering materialand a common chamber provided for the two outletting-surfaces, also of the diameter of the vessel. The two compartments being arranged to operate independently of each other, one may be kept in operation while the other is being packed. The rate of flow of the filtered liquid and its condition may be regulated with the greatest precision by the simultaneous compression or expansion of the strata of filtering material in either compartment, and the provisions for blowing off gas and testing are conveniently located and readily manipulated.

What I claim is 1. The combination, with separate strata of filtering material and plates held in position to retain one side of each strata fixed, of movable plates engaged with the opposite sides of the strata and means for moving the movable plates simultaneously toward and away from the fixed plates, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with separate strata of filtering material having their outletting sides facing each other and spaced apart, of frames or plates at the inletting sides of the strata, right and left hand screws for controlling the said frames or plates, and means for simultaneously operating the screws to force the plates toward and away from each other, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the filtering-vessel, with its central partition impervious to liquid, and its covers, of separate strata of filtering material in each compartment of the vessel, spaced apart and spaced from the covers, plates located upon opposite sides of the separate strata, means for moving the plates at the oppositesides of the different strata in each compartment toward each other, conduits for conducting the liquid to be filtered to the spaces adjacent to the partition and the covers, and means for discharging the filtered liquid from the space between the strata, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a filtering-vessel having separate strata of filtering material located therein and spaced apart, of movable frames or plates in proximity to the opposite sides of the separate strata, a hollow spindle extending centrally through the strata and having a right and left hand screw-thread in engagement with the movable frames, chamopening and a removable screw-threaded collar or sleeve adapted to slide onto the end of the spindle into engagement with the screwthreaded opening in the follow plate or frame, and means for securing the said collar or sleeve to the spindle, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with the chambers for the entering liquid at the opposite ends of the compartments, of fixed conduits extending along the outside walls of the compartments and communicating with said chambers, and blow-oft or vent cocks fixed to the covers and communicating with the said chambers, and hence with the conduits, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with the filtering-vessel, its conduits for the entrance of liquid thereto, and the water-inlet cocks in connection with said entrance-conduits, of the outlet-conduits, the stop-cocks connected therev with, and the auxiliary water-outlet cocks connected with the said stop-cocks in the outlet-conduits, substantially as set forth.

8. In combination with the fixed central partition, the hinged covers and the movable frames located in proximity to the partition and covers, the said partition and covers be ing provided with lugs which project toward the frames in position to engage their ribs and prevent them from rotating, substantially as set forth.

- J OIIN SUTTON. Witnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, K. E. PEMBLETON. 

